Effect of latest patches?

Topic

New Reply

I like to run a lean (XP Pro) machine. I have auto update on but only in notify mode since I run cpu and RAM intense apps, I have *some* control over performance. What I’d like to know is do these updates add bloat and girth to my Windows install, or do they replace existing code? Do they leave a trail of update files that are unneeded once successfully rebooted, or do they do a cleanup of sorts? Frequently when I’m helping someone demalware or setup a new computer I go into the Windows folder. I find MANY subfolders with cryptic names and I wonder are these Windows Update work areas and can delete or uninstall them?

Reply | Quote

Replies

What I’d like to know is do these updates add bloat and girth to my Windows install, or do they replace existing code? Do they leave a trail of update files that are unneeded once successfully rebooted, or do they do a cleanup of sorts? Frequently when I’m helping someone demalware or setup a new computer I go into the Windows folder. I find MANY subfolders with cryptic names and I wonder are these Windows Update work areas and can delete or uninstall them?

None of the patches add new funtionality to XP. They replace existing code. It is unlikely that Microsoft will add anything new to XP. It may be that the files are larger than the ones they replace. That is not worth worrying about.

There may be log files left in a Temp folder but other files are usually deleted when the install finishes. All Windows updates leave uninstall folders in the C:Windows folder. These uninstall folders all begin with “$NTUninstal”. Do not delete the $hf_mig$ folder. If you find folders with cryptic names those are most likely left over from installations. Normally, those folders are deleted when the install finishes. You culd try renaming the folder and then deleting it after you run the system for a period of time.

Joe

--Joe

Reply | Quote

If you want to skip some updates, you can just run the ones that are security updates. Also, for example, I don’t have Office 2007, so I skip those updates. I have Malwarebytes, so I skip MS Malware Removal Tool.

Run CCleaner and TFC (Temp File Cleaner by OldTimer) about once a week to keep your XP lean and mean.

DO NOT remove any folders with cryptic names, except those “$NTUninstal”. Malwarebytes will remove any that are malware. Some legit Windows folders have numeric names.

Reply | Quote

The reasons given at AskWoody.com for waiting to apply Microsoft patches do not include trying to run a “lean and clean” Windows XP. There are sometimes a few patches which are doing more harm than good, and there are times when some patches do not have in the wild exploits, so waiting for any bugs to show up may be prudent. But there is no reason to skip patches tom save hard drive space. And patches do not usually cause the type of bloat or “slow computer” problems users complain about. A “clean” and original and unpatched Windows XP computer will definitely not run faster than a fully-patched computer, if the patched PC is kept clean and defragmented, and if data are kept on a partition other than the C:Windows partition. The Windows Registry may benefit from the occasional cleanup, but this and system cleanup can be handled with CCleaner. Also, limit startups and your computer will run faster for longer.

All of the Microsoft patches ever issued for Windows XP would not cover more than a few gigabytes, if that. And most of us do not have them all, as only certain ones relate to our Windows configurations. Again, with hard drives running into the hundreds of gigabytes on even cheap laptops and netbooks, I see no reason to skip updates “to save space” or to “run a clean copy” of Windows XP.

-- rc primak

Reply | Quote